Rev. Chuck Freeman: In the Spirit of Yahrzeit: This word literally means “time of [one] year”. In the Jewish faith, yahrzeit is the yearly ceremony to honor the death of a loved one. Mourners participate in various customs like reciting the Kaddish prayer, lighting a candle which burns for 24 hours, fasting, visiting the gravesite, and doing a good deed in the deceased’s name. We hold our yearly remembrance service in this spirit. [24:41]
Rev. Kathleen Ellis: The Cost Of Freedom: I’m thinking of the freedoms most of us take for granted: freedom of religion, freedom to remain ignorant, freedom to protest, and so on. We’re free to choose, but what? And why? [20:24]
Rev. Chuck Freeman: The Miracle of Compassion: During Chuck’s chaplaincy days in the Texas Medical Center he was heart sick trying to minister to a young woman who was dying of cancer and her husband. In a flash his despair yielded a moment of insight regarding one of Jesus’ miraculous acts. The applications of this enlightenment are numerous, ranging from the personal to ministry in our Live Oak community. [19:01]
Rev. Kathleen Ellis: Pardon Me!: This evening marks the conclusion of Jewish High Holy Days, a period of atonement. In Judaism, if someone causes you harm, but sincerely apologizes and tries to make amends, you are religiously obligated to forgive. Without this apology, there is no such obligation. Today is the day to ask forgiveness of G-d for offenses against G-d, but G-d cannot forgive harm done to another person without that apology. Other religions have a different approach to forgiveness. Buddhists see forgiveness as a way to keep painful emotions from damaging your own mental health. Do you need to forgive someone? Do you need to forgive yourself? [24:38]
